Tillage
Baling straw in February isn't the norm, but many tillage farmers were wrapping up the 2017 harvest at the weekend.
Cereal production for 2017 is up on last year at 2.3 million t, as spring barley reaches record yields. Total cereal acreage is down by 5.2%.
Storm Ophelia reeked havoc in the maize fields across the country on Monday. Crops were just coming ripe when Ophelia hit.
Glanbia announced its 2017 grain prices on Thursday, October 12. The prices announced include a €14/t bonus payment to Glanbia members.
Glanbia announced its 2017 grain prices today (Thursday, October 12). These prices include Glanbia's member bonus.
Cereal yields varied through the harvest – early in the season winter barley crops were reported to range from 5.5t/ha to over 10t/ha.
After a slow start up to June 1, maize crops have caught up now, having "jumped out of the ground", according to John Foley of Maizetech.
Winter oilseed rape has been performing very well and has been described as one of the better stories so far this harvest.
The harvesting of winter barley is just coming to an end for the Rodgers brothers on Murragh Farm in Oldtown, Co. Dublin.
Just 20km north of the capital, Derek Keeling and his father Derek senior, farm 350ha in Oldtown, Co. Dublin
Feed barley needs to be at a base price of €160/t and wheat €15-18/t above that, according to the Irish Grain Growers Group Chairperson.
Grain merchants are busy on the weigh bridges, with tillage farmers bringing in crops of winter barley as harvest 20117 ramps up.
Harvest 2017 has kicked into gear and farmers are expecting crops to ripen at least seven days earlier than last year.
